Victor Claver

Position: SF Height/Weight: 6-10/230 NBA experience: One season 2012-13 salary: $1,370,000 Contract status: Next season he will make $1.3 million in the second year of a fully guaranteed three-year contract.

2012-13 regular season: In his first season in the NBA, Victor Claver posted averages of 3.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.53 steals and 16.6 minutes in 49 games (16 starts) … In games which he started, he averaged 4.9 points, 0.88 steals and 23.8 minutes … Scored a career-high 12 points to go along with five rebounds April 1 at Utah … Grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds Feb. 24 vs. Boston … Started the final eight games of the season, as he averaged 6.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game … Missed nine games due to a right elbow contusion (Nov. 23-Dec. 8), and also missed nine contests because of a left ankle sprain (March 10-24) … Made a career-best three 3-pointers en route to finishing with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists at the L.A. Clippers on April 16 … Played in four games (all starts) with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA D-League during the month of December, where he averaged 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2.00 steals and 33.8 minutes per game.

Victor Claver's regular season stats

Year

G

MPG

PPG

RPG

APG

SPG

BPG

TOPG

FG%

3P%

FT%

12-13

49

16.6

3.8

2.4

0.9

0.5

0.2

0.9

.398

.287

.476

Career

49

16.6

3.8

2.4

0.9

0.5

0.2

0.9

.398

.287

.476

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Originally drafted with the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft, Portland Trail Blazers forward Victor Claver waited a few years before making the leap to the NBA.

A native of Valencia, Spain, Claver joined the Blazers after spending six seasons playing for Valencia in the Spanish ACB League where he was the captain of his team the last three seasons.

In July of 2012, Claver decided the time was right to test his skills at the NBA level.

Blazers general manager Neil Olshey also felt the then-24-year-old Claver was ready: "I think he’s more suited for the NBA than Europe. Really good play-maker, good defender, rebounds the ball, great length."

But through the first 20 games of the season, Claver recorded nearly as many DNPs (16) as minutes played (24). He was assigned to the D-League for a couple of brief stints before returning and starting four games in December.

As the season progressed, so too did Claver's minutes and role in the regular rotation. He appeared in 45 of the season's final 62 games, starting in 16. In February, Claver averaged 17.8 minutes, playing in all 12 games and recording his best game to date -- 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting, six rebounds, and two assists in a season-high 36 minutes.

With the season all but over, April provided the best stretch for the rookie. He started in eight of the final nine games, averaging 28.4 minutes per game, 7.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

Claver, who initially struggled to adapt to the NBA game, told Fiba.com recently that he enjoyed the experience of his first year but struggled with "the uncertainty of not knowing what my role would be."

The late-season experience seemed to help Claver build the confidence he knows he will need coming into his sophomore campaign.

"I want to use this to start with more confidence and be one more player in the rotation from the start," he told Fiba.com.

The 24-year-old Claver will be plenty busy this summer, playing for the Blazers' summer league team as well as Spain's national team in EuroBasket.
<a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/7068648/">You be the GM: Should Victor Claver stay or go?</a>

You decide: Do you think Claver will develop into a key part of the Portland Trail Blazers' rotation? Do you want the Blazers to lock up Claver for the long haul, or is he another easily replaceable bench player? Cast your vote and post your comments on why Victor Claver should stay or go.